1. On the whole this season, George Sherrill has been superb, but lately he's been struggling and I have to wonder if the O's are concerned about wearing him down.  His career high innings pitched total is 45 (last season in Seattle) and already this year he's thrown 34 innings.  Be careful with the kid, Trembley. 

2. Tiger's one-legged win at the U.S. Open last week will be the "The Story of the Year" when ESPN hands out their ESPY awards next February.  Nothing else that happens in sports between now and the end of the year can possibly eclipse Tiger beating everyone in the field on one leg.

3. If the season ended today, you'd have to say Joe Maddon (Tampa Bay) and Freddi Gonzalez (Florida) would win Manager of the Year in the AL and NL.  Dave Trembley and Bob Geren (Oakland) would receive consideration as well. 

4. I'm not sure what's going to happen in the AFC North this year.  The NFL is whacky...there's always a division that doesn't go as planned.  I assume Cleveland will be everyone's favorite going into the season, and rightfully so, but they could bottom out this year and go 7-9 and that wouldn't surprise me.  They had their chance last year and blew it.  Pittsburgh?  Their pass defense was horrible last season.  Did they fix that in the off-season?  I don't think the Bengals have a winner on their roster, so how are they going to rise to the occasion and win the division?  I have no idea what to expect from the Ravens.  It's the same old story:  Quarterback issues and the need for the defense to rise to the occasion.  I believe 9-7 might win the division.  Can the Ravens go 9-7?  Maybe.  But they could just as easily go 7-9. 

5. Driving into work today, I noticed a bunch of people standing on 1st, 2nd and 3rd base on a baseball field right at the 695/Providence Road exit.  I thought that was odd at 5:20am, so I stopped and shouted down to them, "Hey, what are you guys doing down there?".  One guy shouted back, "Waiting for Melvin Mora to knock us in..."

6. Derek Jeter overrated?  That's what Sports Illustrated produced last week in a ranking of baseball's most overrated players, based on player voting.  Jeter might be overhyped, but I don't think he's overrated.  Andruw Jones...now THAT GUY is overrated.

7. Don't look now, but Edinson Volquez in Cincinnati is putting up Cy Young numbers this year.  He's 10-2 with a 1.71 e.r.a. and he has 110 strikeouts and 45 walks in 95 innings pitched. 

8. Last week, I wrote a blog titled, "What's our next task?" where I playfully asked what WNST's next endeavor should be now that we've fixed the Orioles.  Ron in Lutherville e-mailed me over the weekend and said, "If you think you can fix the Orioles, why don't you start by getting them to put BALTIMORE on the road jerseys."  Psssst...Ron....we already did that.  Last month.  Where have people been, in a cave?

9. I'm really surprised people haven't made a bigger deal out of Kobe and the Lakers quitting last Tuesday night in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. 

10. I have no idea what Mike Anderson (ex-Raven) tested positive for recently when he was suspended for one year but I have to admit he always looked, uh, shall we say, "mellow", anytime I saw him at the facility in Owings Mills.  Just sayin'...

11. It would be really cool to see Annika Sorenstam win the U.S. Women's Open this week in her final go-round.

12. If Alex Cintron is the O's answer at shortstop, they're in a heap of trouble. 

13. Josh Hamilton for MVP?  Right now, he has to be considered for the award in the American League, leading the circuit in HR's (19) and RBI's (76) and helping Texas creep above .500 (39-38).

14. The Tiger-Rocco show at the U.S. Open saved Phil Mickelson from a week's worth of "What were you thinking, Phil?" articles and stories.  Had Woods won the event going away on Sunday, the media - with not much else to focus on - would have zeroed in on Mickelson's silly decision to play rounds one and two with a 2-wood instead of a driver.  Then again, that's why Phil doesn't win much in the majors.  He tries to out-think everyone in the field when out-playing them would do the job.

15. If Maryland football stinks in '08, does Ralph go on the hot seat?

16. Every team in baseball - except for St. Louis - passed on pitcher Kyle Lohse in the off-season.  The Cards took a chance and look what they got -- he's 9-2 with a 3.63 e.r.a. and he's won six straight.  You just never know, huh?

17. If I ran the NFL, these cats who get caught drinking and driving wouldn't play in the league for a year.  Memo to all the rich players in the league: HIRE A LIMO!

18. Not that we care in these parts - because we'd rather they all lose - but if the Patriots would have won the Super Bowl last February, Boston would currently be home to three sports titleists (Red Sox and Celtics).

19. Anyone else heard the new Death Cab for Cutie CD, "Narrow Stairs"?  Awesome.  Here's the video for the single off of that CD, "I will possess your heart".